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Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
Lawyers for Chicago Housing Authority used ChatGPT to cite nonexistent court case
Lawyers hired by the Chicago Housing Authority recently cited Illinois Supreme Court case Mack v. Anderson in an effort to persuade a judge to reconsider a jury's $24 million verdict against the agency in a case involving the alleged poisoning of two children by lead paint in CHA-owned property. The problem? The case doesn't exist. In the latest headache for CHA, law firm Goldberg Segalla used artificial intelligence, specifically ChatGPT, in a post-trial motion and neglected to check its work, court records show. A jury decided in January, after a roughly seven-week trial, that CHA must pay more than $24 million to two residents who sued on behalf of their children, finding the agency responsible for the children's injuries, including past and future damages. The firm apologized for the error in a June 18 court filing, calling it a "serious lapse in professionalism." "An exhaustive investigation revealed that one attorney, in direct violation of Goldberg Segalla's AI use policy, used AI technology and failed to verify the AI citation before including the case and surrounding sentence describing its fictitious holding," said Goldberg Segalla's lead counsel in the case, Larry Mason, in the filing. Mason, whom the judge admonished for shouting during closing arguments in January, noted that "several contributors" supported him while preparing the motion. He also said in the filing that the investigation found "no intent to deceive the Court" and no other attorneys at the firm were aware of the improper citation. Goldberg Segalla has since implemented "firm-wide measures to re-educate its attorneys" on its AI use policy, the filing said, and "established preventative measures." The firm requested that the court not punish CHA for the attorney's mistake. In response to a list of Tribune questions, CHA provided a copy of a letter that its interim Chief Legal Officer Elizabeth Silas sent Wednesday to Mason and said Goldberg Segalla has taken "all responsibility" in this matter. In the letter, Silas thanked Mason for bringing the AI issue to the agency's attention and for apologizing for the error. "As you know, CHA expects its outside counsel to hold themselves to the highest responsible and ethical standards," Silas said. "We sincerely hope that the Court recognizes this unfortunate error and recognizes Goldberg Segalla's good faith actions to investigate, accept responsibility, and take proper corrective action. Please note, however, that depending on the Court's finding and rulings, CHA may consider and reserves the right to take additional appropriate action to protect its interests." CHA, the third largest public housing authority in the country, serves more than 65,000 households and is the largest single owner of rental housing in the city with more than 21,000 housing units. The housing authority is without a permanent leader, with Board Chair Angela Hurlock serving as interim CEO. Mayor Brandon Johnson is nearing the final stages of a search for a new chief executive, with mayoral ally Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, a front-runner for the role. Cook County Circuit Judge Thomas Cushing called a special hearing Thursday for a further explanation - as CHA's counsel offered to provide when admitting to the error - on the matter. He required any attorneys responsible for the mistake to be present and for Goldberg Segalla to provide the court with copies of the firm's policies on the use of AI by attorneys. At the hearing, Danielle Malaty, the attorney responsible for the mistake, told the judge she did not think ChatGPT could create fictitious legal citations and did not check to ensure the case was legitimate. Three other Goldberg Segalla attorneys then reviewed the draft motion - including Mason, who served as the final reviewer - as well as CHA's in-house counsel, before it was filed with the court. Malaty was terminated from Goldberg Segalla, where she had been a partner, following her use of AI. The firm, at the time, had an AI policy that banned its use. "I find all of this very unfortunate," Malaty said in the hearing. "At no point did I have any intent to deceive the court." Mason told the judge that because of his repeated losses when arguing before the court during the trial, he was "very hands off" with the post-trial motion because the case "needed a fresh perspective away from me." Mason said he was not expected to check all 58 cases cited in the motion and is "personally disgusted" and "embarrassed" by what happened, calling the mistake "horrific." Mason declined to comment to the Tribune. Malaty, who has since started her own practice, declined to comment through her attorney, but said in court that she had engaged in about 70 hours of training related to the use of AI and other ethical issues since making the error. Matthew Sims, an attorney for the plaintiffs, in the hearing asked for permission to file a motion for sanctions against Goldberg Segalla and CHA based on the "fraud upon the court." The judge granted his request and said it must be filed by Tuesday. The next hearing for post-trial motion arguments is scheduled for July 31. CHA continues to contest the ruling and is seeking a verdict in its favor, a new trial on liability or a new trial on damages or to lower the verdict. Goldberg Segalla has billed CHA more than $389,900 for legal services, invoices dated between March 2024 through December 2024 show. CHA confirmed to the Tribune that it will not be billed for any time or expenses related to this issue, including the Thursday hearing. The case, filed in January 2022, focused on Shanna Jordan, mother of Jah'mir Collins, now 10, and Morgan Collins, the mother of Amiah Collins, now 6, who sued CHA, The Habitat Co., East Lake Management Group and Environmental Design International, alleging that the defendants knew their unit had lead-based paint and that their children suffered "severe lead poisoning" while living in the unit. The unit was owned by CHA and is located at 7715 N. Marshfield Ave. in Rogers Park. The lawsuit said that CHA had known the property had lead-based paint since 1992 and faced code violations by the city in the early 2000s because of the hazard. Property management companies, The Habitat Co. and East Lake Management Group, who had managed the residents' CHA-owned property, were found not liable for the children's injuries. The two companies did end up settling with the plaintiffs for much smaller amounts. Habitat then sued the CHA and two of its attorneys in February for an alleged breach of contract and legal malpractice over the agency's handling of the lead poisoning lawsuit. A few months prior to the January ruling, Habitat had terminated all of its management agreements with the CHA, covering 16 buildings and approximately 3,400 units of public housing. Environmental Design International conducted an inspection for lead-based paint in 2017 on behalf of CHA and found lead-based paint, the suit said. Environmental Design International settled with the plaintiffs prior to the trial. This was not the first time CHA approved housing for residents who then were later diagnosed with lead poisoning. Dozens of children were found to have been poisoned by brain-damaging lead while living in homes and apartments declared safe by the Chicago Housing Authority, a Tribune investigation found in 2017. The housing authority created a new division in April focused on environmental concerns and hazards for residents. The division's staff will start by focusing on lead-based paint hazards as they build out the program. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Lawyers for Chicago Housing Authority used ChatGPT to cite nonexistent court case
Lawyers hired by the Chicago Housing Authority recently cited Illinois Supreme Court case Mack v. Anderson in an effort to persuade a judge to reconsider a jury's $24 million verdict against the agency in a case involving the alleged poisoning of two children by lead paint in CHA-owned property. The problem? The case doesn't exist. In the latest headache for CHA, law firm Goldberg Segalla used artificial intelligence, specifically ChatGPT, in a post-trial motion and neglected to check its work, court records show. A jury decided in January, after a roughly seven-week trial, that CHA must pay more than $24 million to two residents who sued on behalf of their children, finding the agency responsible for the children's injuries, including past and future damages. The firm apologized for the error in a June 18 court filing, calling it a 'serious lapse in professionalism.' 'An exhaustive investigation revealed that one attorney, in direct violation of Goldberg Segalla's AI use policy, used AI technology and failed to verify the AI citation before including the case and surrounding sentence describing its fictitious holding,' said Goldberg Segalla's lead counsel in the case, Larry Mason, in the filing. Mason, whom the judge admonished for shouting during closing arguments in January, noted that 'several contributors' supported him while preparing the motion. He also said in the filing that the investigation found 'no intent to deceive the Court' and no other attorneys at the firm were aware of the improper citation. Goldberg Segalla has since implemented 'firm-wide measures to re-educate its attorneys' on its AI use policy, the filing said, and 'established preventative measures.' The firm requested that the court not punish CHA for the attorney's mistake. In response to a list of Tribune questions, CHA provided a copy of a letter that its interim Chief Legal Officer Elizabeth Silas sent Wednesday to Mason and said Goldberg Segalla has taken 'all responsibility' in this matter. In the letter, Silas thanked Mason for bringing the AI issue to the agency's attention and for apologizing for the error. 'As you know, CHA expects its outside counsel to hold themselves to the highest responsible and ethical standards,' Silas said. 'We sincerely hope that the Court recognizes this unfortunate error and recognizes Goldberg Segalla's good faith actions to investigate, accept responsibility, and take proper corrective action. Please note, however, that depending on the Court's finding and rulings, CHA may consider and reserves the right to take additional appropriate action to protect its interests.' CHA, the third largest public housing authority in the country, serves more than 65,000 households and is the largest single owner of rental housing in the city with more than 21,000 public housing units. The housing authority is without a permanent leader, with Board Chair Angela Hurlock serving as interim CEO. Mayor Brandon Johnson is nearing the final stages of a search for a new chief executive, with mayoral ally Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, a frontrunner for the role. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Cushing called a special hearing Thursday for a further explanation — as CHA's counsel offered to provide when admitting to the error — on the matter. He required any attorneys responsible for the mistake to be present and for Goldberg Segalla to provide the court with copies of the firm's policies on the use of AI by attorneys. At the hearing, Danielle Malaty, the attorney responsible for the mistake, told the judge she did not think ChatGPT could create fictitious legal citations and did not check to ensure the case was legitimate. Three other Goldberg Segalla attorneys then reviewed the draft motion — including Mason, who served as the final reviewer — as well as CHA's in-house counsel, before it was filed with the court. Malaty was terminated from Goldberg Segalla, where she had been a partner, following her use of AI. The firm, at the time, had an AI policy that banned its use. 'I find all of this very unfortunate,' Malaty said in the hearing, who has since started her own practice. 'At no point did I have any intent to deceive the court.' Mason told the judge that because of his repeated losses when arguing before the court during the trial, he was 'very hands off' with the post-trial motion because the case 'needed a fresh perspective away from me.' Mason said he was not expected to check all 58 cases cited in the motion and is 'personally disgusted' and 'embarrassed' by what happened, calling the mistake 'horrific.' Mason declined to comment to the Tribune. Malaty declined to comment through her attorney but said in court that she had engaged in about 70 hours of training related to the use of AI and other ethical issues since making the error. Matthew Sims, an attorney for the plaintiffs, in the hearing asked for permission to file a motion for sanctions against Goldberg Segalla and CHA based on the 'fraud upon the court.' The judge granted his request and said it must be filed by July 22. The next hearing for post-trial motion arguments is scheduled for July 31. CHA continues to contest the ruling and is seeking a verdict in its favor, a new trial on liability or a new trial on damages or to lower the verdict. Goldberg Segalla has billed CHA more than $389,900 for legal services, invoices dated between March 2024 through December 2024 show. CHA confirmed to the Tribune that it will not be billed for any time or expenses related to this issue, including the Thursday hearing. The case, filed in January 2022, focused on Shanna Jordan, the mother of Jah'mir Collins, now 10, and Morgan Collins, the mother of Amiah Collins, now 6, who sued CHA, The Habitat Co., East Lake Management Group and Environmental Design International, alleging that the defendants knew their unit had lead-based paint and that their children suffered 'severe lead poisoning' while living in the unit. The unit was owned by CHA and is located at 7715 N. Marshfield Ave. in Rogers Park. The lawsuit said that CHA had known the property had lead-based paint since 1992 and faced code violations by the city in the early 2000s because of the hazard. Property management companies, The Habitat Co. and East Lake Management Group, who had managed the residents' CHA-owned property, were found not liable for the children's injuries. The two companies did end up settling with the plaintiffs for much smaller amounts. Habitat then sued the CHA and two of its attorneys in February for an alleged breach of contract and legal malpractice over the agency's handling of the lead poisoning lawsuit. A few months prior to the January ruling, Habitat had terminated all of its management agreements with the CHA, which accounted for 16 buildings and approximately 3,400 units of public housing. Environmental Design International conducted an inspection for lead-based paint in 2017 on behalf of CHA and found lead-based paint, the suit said. Environmental Design International settled with the plaintiffs prior to the trial. This was not the first time CHA approved housing for residents who then were later diagnosed with lead poisoning. Dozens of children were found to have been poisoned by brain-damaging lead while living in homes and apartments declared safe by the Chicago Housing Authority, a Tribune investigation found in 2017. The housing authority created a new division in April focused on environmental concerns and hazards for residents. The division's staff will start by focusing on lead-based paint hazards as they build out the new program. ekane@
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Time of India
IAN alert in Kentucky triggers panic after missing 5-year-old child found dead. What it means?
An IAN alert was issued in Kentucky in US on Tuesday for a missing 5-year-old boy who was found dead. A new alert designed to help save the lives of children with autism is now in effect in Kentucky, which is called IAN alert. The boy, Silas, walked away from his home around 8 a.m., according to Kentucky State Police , and since he has autism, the specific IAN Alert was issued. Just a couple of hours after the child was reported missing, KSP said he had been found dead. In an official statement around 9:20 a.m., KSP confirmed that Silas Chearer, 5, of Cub Run was found deceased. ALSO READ: Virgin River season 8 confirmed as it breaks new record for streaming service: Check release date, cast IAN alert in Kentucky Kentucky State Police in an official statement said: "Tragically, he was found deceased. KSP grieves with this family and the community." Live Events An IAN Alert was issued by Kentucky State Police about 9:35 a.m. on Tuesday that said a juvenile was reported missing in Cub Run, Kentucky. The alert said the missing juvenile may be endangered or in need of assistance. The IAN Alert was named for Ian Sousis, a northern Kentucky boy with autism that escaped a children's home. He was found after he drown in the Ohio River. The IAN Alert is issued for missing children under 18 with intellectual disability or mental illness. ALSO READ: Nvidia's Jensen Huang rips MIT study claiming AI makes people dumb, says 'As a CEO, I spend most...' The Ashanti Alert was named for Billie Ashanti, a Virginia woman who was abducted from her workplace and found dead 11 days later in North Carolina. Since she was 19, she didn't fit the criteria for an Amber Alert. The Ashanti Alert is issued for people who are 18-years-old or older and there is reason to believe their disappearance was involuntary. Around 9:08 a.m. Tuesday, an additional alert stating Silas had been located was issued. KSP later clarified in a news release that he was found deceased. 'KSP grieves with this family and the community,' the release said. The agency said they are unable to provide any additional information at this time.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
DC man charged after distributing multiple videos of child pornography, officials say
WASHINGTON () — A 28-year-old man from D.C. is facing federal charges after he sent multiple videos of child pornography to an undercover police officer, the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) detailed. On April 1, court documents state that the undercover officer was contacted by Zachary Silas Brandner on Jack'd, a dating app. His profile — under the username 'fart fetish' indicated they were 6'5″ and lived in Southwest D.C. After talking briefly on the app, the undercover officer messaged Silas via Telegram shortly after 11 a.m. Under the username 'Zboi29,' Silas said he was interested in 'infants up to 12' and asked the officer if he had kids. What to know about Trump's military parade in DC After a brief conversation, he forwarded a video that was just over five-and-a-half minutes long, showing an infant boy being assaulted by a man. Another video showed a young boy also being assaulted. The officer sent the information to the FBI, who launched an investigation into the person behind the account — later identified as Silas. In a later chat on Jack'd on May 20, he continued sending similarly provocative chats to the undercover officer, indicating his sexual interest in children. He was charged with two counts of Distribution of Child Pornography. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jessica Biel Says Her Kids Have Opinions About Who Is the Coolest Parent
When it comes to who the kids think is more hip, Jessica Biel reveals that her sons Silas and Phineas have picked a clear winner. The actress opened up about her children during a Mary 20 appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, after the host — who happens to be besties with Justin Timberlake — asked if the couple's children have any idea how famous their parents are. Related: Kourtney Kardashian Shares a 'Brelfie' With Fans as She Nurses Her 17-Month-Old Biel laughed at the idea of her children thinking that she was the cool one, during the interview, joking that they had absolutely no idea how popular the pair is. 'No,' Biel shared. 'Not at all.' 'I mean, you're Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake,' Fallon said. 'Yes, you're very cool.' 'No, Jimmy. They do not,' the mother of two continued. 'Well, I think they think Justin's kind of cool, because the music element, and like he's Daddy. I am so lame to them.' While Fallon insisted that it couldn't be true, which we honestly tend to agree with, Biel doubled down and shared how there was no way that her children thought she had a single cool bone in her body. 'No, no. Let me tell you. The new phrase for my 4-year-old is, 'Mom, you have the worst ideas. You have the worst ideas,'" Biel said before adding that she couldn't believe how quickly her kids had moved into the phase of thinking their parents don't know anything. And Silas is like, 'Don't engage Mom. Back up off the field,'" she shared. "Like he's playing baseball now. He's like, 'Don't say anything. Back up.' I'm like, I just said good job! Like, say nothing. Say nothing.' The good news is that things will likely all turn around for the family soon, since it's only a matter of time before they realize exactly who their parents are. Fortunately, it seems like Biel isn't too hurt by her children's opinions, and she seems to be taking it all in stride. Up Next:Jessica Biel Says Her Kids Have Opinions About Who Is the Coolest Parent first appeared on WeHaveKids on May 22, 2025
